Fruit-clipper.



No. 693.753. Patented Feb. I8, |902.

G. W. STARRETT.

FRUIT CLIPPER.

Y (Application led May v228, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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GEORGE W. STARRETT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

FRUIT-CLIPPER.

SPECIFXATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,753, dated February 18, 1902.

Application filed May 28, r1901. Serial No. 62,268. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. STARRETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oolumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Clippers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fruit-clippers, the principal object of the invention being to provide a simple, practical, and inexpensive hand device for severing or cutting the stems of' fruit, the cutter being supported upon one hand, so as to leave the other hand free to cling to a ladder or to separate the foliage in order to expose the hidden fruit. The cutter is so mounted on the hand as to leave all of the fingers of said hand free with the exception of the forefinger and thumb, which are used to operate the cutter, and in this way the fingers which are left free may be utilized to grasp the fruit and guide the same into the mouth of the receptacle.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improved fruit-clipper, showing the same applied to 'a hand and illustrating the advantage of placing the upper pivoted blade upon the inside of the lower stationary blade. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail elevation of the cutter looking toward the inner side thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the cutter on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. t is a sectional plan View of' the cutter on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, illustrating the oblique disposition of the anges to which the fixed cutting-blade is attached.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all figures of the drawings.

The clipper contemplated in this invention comprises a pair of blades 10 and 11, 10 representing the stationary blade and 11 the movable blade, which is pivotally connected to the fixed blade. 1n order to provide a broad bearing which will insure the proper Workin g of the blades, both of said blades are provided at their adjacent ends with enlarged diskshaped portions l2, which lie side by side and in contact with each other and are connected by a pivot 13. The pivoted blade 11 is normally upheld by means of a spring 14, consisting of a piece of wire having a portion thereof coiled, as at 15, around the pivot 13, with one terminal extended and bent laterally where it passes through an opening 16 in the heel end of the fixed blade 10, as shown in Fig. 2. The other terminal of the spring isextended lengthwise of the blade 11 and passed through a guide or eye rivet at 17 and under the flange or thumb-piece 2O and is passed through opening 1S and secured therein, the flange forming an integral part of the blade 1l and bent to extend laterally therefrom, as shown in Fig. 3, the said ange 2O forming a thumb-piece adapted to receive the pressure of the operators thumb in the manner indi: cated in Fig. 1 when the device is mounted `upon the forefinger, as shown.

which the stationary blade 10 of the cutter is rigidly connected to the ring or thimble. Di-

ametrically opposite from the iianges 22 the sections of the split ring are overlapped, as shown at 24e, so as to admit of the expansion `and contraction of the ring for adapting it to fit fingers of different sizes and lo hold itself firmly thereon. An important detail of construction which better adapts the cutter for the purpose specified resides in mounting the pivoted blade 1l so as to operate against the inner surface of the stationary blade 10 rather than against the outer surface thereof, as is universally the case With shears and scissors now in use. The advantage of this arrangement is that the stem of the fruit passes across the cutting edge of the iixed blade in a downwardly-inclining position, so that the fruit may be grasped by the fingers of the hand, after which the pivoted blade is pressed downward, the tendency being to further depress the stem of the fruit until such stem is actually severed.

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From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple, practical, and inexpensive fruit-clipper capable of being operated entirely by one hand, while at the same time leaving three of the fingers of said hand free to grasp the fruit being cut. At the same time the other hand is left entirely free to carry a basket, cling to a ladder, or separate the foliage in order to grasp the hidden fruit.

Another very important advantage of the invention resides in disposing the flanges 22 of the ring or thimble obliquely to the plane of the opening therein for the reception of the finger, which oblique disposition is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and enables the cutter to be presented at the proper angle to the stem of the fruit for securing the best results, enabling the stem to be passed at right angles across the cutting edges of the blades preparatory to severing the stem.

Another important advantage resides in providing the blades with the enlarged heel ends where they are pivotally connected, thus giving a broad bearing sufficiently large to insure the proper coperation of the cutting edges of the blades, keeping the same at all times in alinement. By placing the pivoted blade upon the inside ot' the fixed blade the stems may be readily severed While in an inclined position, and in addition to this advantage the pressure of the thumb tends to urge the pivoted blade toward the fixed blade as it is depressed. The spring Mis connected directly with the two blades of the cutter and cannot become displaced and at the same time cannot interfere with the operation of the blades.

It Will be Vapparent that the device as a whole is susceptible of changes in details of construction and arrangement, and I accordingly reserve the right to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a. fruit-clipper, a cutter comprising a two-part split spring ring or thimble the sections of which are provided with angular flanges fastened flatwise together, a stationary cutting-blade fixedly connected to said flanges, a pivoted cutting-blade connected to the fixed blade and provided with a laterallyextending flange forming a thumb-piece, and a blade-opening spring connecting the fixed and pivoted blades and having one terminal thereof bearing against the thumb-piece, substantially as described.

2. In a fruit-clipper, a cutter comprising a two-part split spring ring or thimble, the sections of which are provided with angular flanges extending obliquely with respect to the finger-openingin the thimble or ring and secured fiatwise together, a fixed cuttingblade rigidly connected to said flanges, a movable cutting-blade pivotally connected to the fixed blade and provided with a laterally-projecting flange along its outer edge which forms a thumb-piece, and a blade-opening spring having one end connected with the fixed blade and the other end connected with the pivoted blade, substantially as described.

3. In a fruit-clipper, the combination with a self-adjusting spring ring or thimble comprising sections having parallel flanges set at an oblique angle to the plane of the ring and fastened flatwise together, of a fixed blade rigidly connected to said flanges, a movable blade pivoted to the fixed blade and arranged to operate upon the inner side of the fixed blade or that side adjacent to the operator, and a blade-opening spring having one end connected with the pivoted blade and the other end connected to the fixed blade adjacent to and in rear of the pivotal connection of the blades, substantially as described.

4. In a fruit-clipper, the combination with a ring or thimble, of' a fixed blade rigidly connected therewith, a movable blade pivotally connected to the fixed blade and provided along its outer edge with a laterally-projecting flange forminga thumb-piece, and a bladeopening spring connected at one end to the fixed blade and extending lengthwise of the pivoted blade, said spring passing through a guide and under the ange or thumb-piece with the end secured in an opening at or near the end of the blade, substantially as described. v

In `testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of' two witnesses.

GEORGE W. STARRETT. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. RHoADEs, IV. P. SHAW.

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